Fabric display device



March4, 1969 H. KIRSCHBAUM ET A1. 3,430364 FABRIC DISPLAY DEVICE Filet! Aug. ll, 1967 INVENTORJ HARRY KIRSCHBAUM JACK DOBBS ATTORNEYS United States Patent O Claims ABS'IRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coordinated display device for exhibiting fabric samples for use in upholstering and slip-covering furniture and the like and facilitating selection of fabrics for such purposes which includes a number f swatches of fabric of the same pattern but difierent dominant colors, one of the swatches being of substantially larger size and free hanging to permit feeling of the fabric, the display being characterized by the presence of a color picture in close proximity to the larger swatch of fabric illustrating a piece 0f furniture covered in fabric which is p1'eferably of the same pattern and dominant color as the larger swatch.

This invention relates to =a coordinated display device for exhibiting samples of fabric for use in custom upholstering, slip-covering and the like and for facilitating selection of fabrics by permitting the fabric customer to visualize the general =appearance of a piece of furniture covered in the fabric on display. Many home owners prefer furniture oovered with individually selected fabrics which match 0r blend with a preselected color sehende or decor or otherwise satisfy some personal preference of the buyer. The average buyer, however, is handicapped in the selection of fabric because he has difliculty in envisioning how a given piece of furnitnre will look when covered with a particular fabric. This is made somewhat more diflicult by virtue of the fact that, in most instances, only a relatively small sample swatch of the fabric is available at the time and place when the decision must be made.

Many custorners are probably deterred from selecting custom upholstered furniture for this very reason, and perhaps select furniture upholstered with a less suitab le fabric merely because it is in stock and can be seen in finished form. The present invention is directed toward alleviating this situation by permitting the custorner t0 more readily visualize the overall appearance of furnitnre upholstered in a particular piece of fabric, of which only sample swatches are available at the time of selection and decision.

The invention is illustrated in the single figure of the accompanying drawing which shows the display device in freut elevation with one corner turned back to show a portion of the structure of the back.

Referring to the drawing, the display device, indicated generally at 10, cornprises a generally rectangnlar and flexible backing sheet 11 to the bottorn edge of which is secured, as by sewing or the like, a relatively large free hanging swatch of fabric 12 which is of a given pattern and is of one dominant colon The backing sheet 11 is desirably formed of smooth plastic-coated cloth fabric for strength and stability. The coated face may be white 01 any appropriate color which is not in conflict with the colors of the fabric being displayed.

Fastening means, such as a pair of spaced apart grommets 13 located near the top edge of the backing sheet and spaced inwardly from the side edges, are provided for releasably suspending the fabric display from a display rack. In most instances, the display rack includes a 3430,364 Patented Man. 4, 1969 pair of parallel horizontal rods supported from one end by any suitable standard from which a plurality of fabric display units may be suspended. Any particular fabric display unit is easily removed from that rack for closer inspection of the fabric or the like.

The relatively larger sample swatch 12 of fabric is free hanging being suspended from the bottom edge of the backing sheet 11. This free hanging swatch is of the same width as the backing sheet and hangs with its side edges in generally vertical alignment with the side edges of the backing sheet.

A plurality of other relatively smaller swatches of fabric 14 and 15 are secured to the face of the backing sheet, usnally by adhesive. These other swatches cf fabric have the same pattern or design as the larger free hanging swatch 12 but each has a different dominant color from the color of the larger free hanging swatch 12. The num1ber and size of the smaller swatches may vary depending upon the particular pattern and the number of dominant colors in which that particular pattern is available. They may be displayed in any convenient arrangement.

A colored picture or other illustration 16, preferably a colored photograph or print, is secured to the face cf the backing sheet 11 in close proximity to the free hanging swatch 12. In most instances, the illnstration 16 is a copy or print of a colored photograph adhesively secured to the face of the backing sheet 11. In each instance, the illustration 16 shows one or more pieces of upholstered er slip-covered furniture covered in the fabric of the same pattern and of the same dominant color as the free hanging swatch 12. =In this manner, a customer deciding upon the selection of a particular fabric not only sees the fabric itself bnt can see how that fabric looks when actually used as the covering of a piece of furniture. Preferably the colored illustration 16 shows the covered furniture in a natural home setting or arrangement With other accessol'ies such as carpeting, draperies, lamps, tables, etc. as likely to be enconntered in the actual home setting.

Appropriate indicia is desirably imprinted upon the face of backing sheet 11 in any appropriate color comtrasting with the face coating of the backing sheet. Such indicia supplies information with respect 10 the fabric such as identifying numbers, available colors, ber composition, fabric width, price, fabric or pattern narne, special finishing, suppliers identification, and the like.

The bottom edge of the back face of the free hanging fabric swatch 12 is desirably. provided with a narrow flexible reinforcing backing strip 17 extending across the width of the swatch. Strip 17 is desirably adhesively secured. It is disposed generally parallel to the bottom edge of backing sheet 11. In order that the customer may still feel the weight and texture and band of the fabric, the strip is desirably spaced from the bottom of the backing sheet by a distance at least three times the width of the strip. The edges of the backing sheet 11 cf the fra handing fabric swatch 12 and of the reinforcing strip 17 are desirably bound, preferably with an overcast stitch 18 extending around the perimeter of the fabric display device.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A coordinated display device for exhibiting fabric samples and facilitating selection of fabrics, said device comprising:'

(A) a generally rectangular and flexible backing sheet;

(B) means at the top of said backing sheet for re leasably suspending said device from a display rack;

(C) a free hanging swatch of fabric of one dominant color suspended from the bottom edge of said backing sheet;

(D) said free hanging swatch being f the sarne width as said -backing sheet and secured thereto across the bottom thereof;

(E) the sides of the free hanging swatch being in gen erally vertical alignment with the sides of the back ing sheet;

(F) a plurality of swatches of fabric of the same pat" tern as the free hanging swatch of fabric secured to said backing sheet;

(G) each of said plurality of swatches being of smaller size than and having a diflerent dominant color from the color of the free hanging swatch;

(H) a colored picture of a piece cf upholstered furniture secured to the face of the backing sheet in close proximity to the free hanging swatch;

(I) the piece of furniture illustrated therein-being COV- ered with fabric of the Same pattern and same dominant color as one of said swatches.

2. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that a na.rrow flexible reinforcing backing strip is secured to the back of said free hanging swatch across the bottom edge thereof, said strip being parallel to the bottom of the backing sheet and spaced therefrom by a distance of at least three times the Width of the strip.

3. A device according to claim 2 further characterized in that the edges of said backing sheet, free hanging swatch and reinforcing strip are bound With an overcast stitch extending around the perimeter of the device.

4. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that said suspending means comprise a pair of grommets evenly spaced from the top edge of the backing sheet and evenly spaced inwardly from the side edges thereof.

5. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that said backing sheet is opaque smooth coated cloth fabric bearing indicia upon its face identifying the fabric of the swatches, said identifying indicia being in color contrasting to that of the opaque coating.

6. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that the piece of upholstered furniture illustrated in said colored picture is covered with fabric of the same pattern and Same dominant color as the free hanging swatch.

7. A device according to claim 1 further characterized in that said plurality 0f swatches of fabric of the same pattern laut diiferent dominant color from the fl'ee hanging swatch a.re secured to the face of the backing sheet adjacent to the colored picture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 946,165 1/1910 Stix 206-82 X 2177914 10/1939 Steinthal 206- 82 2,301,647 11/ 1942 Steinthal 35-49 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,896 1/ 1935 Switzerland.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examz'ner.

HARLAND S. SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

